Contemporary Chinese America

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Min Zhou, the author of Contemporary Chinese America, stresses the influence of Chinese mass media on Chinese communities all over the world. They have both positive and negative effects. On the one hand, it is easier for Chinese people to be informed about the events in the world when they have access to the information in their native language. On the other hand, it is very difficult to assimilate with a new cultural area by doing that. This paradox is the main question the author is trying to answer in the Chapter 6. The author states that if the Chinese cultural life is on a very high level thanks to informational technologies, these people have no desire to learn English and adapt to the traditions of a new country. This means that Chinese mass media do not encourage people to become a part of the country they live in at the moment, but it gives the information they need. The question of the chapter is whether the Chinese mass media are really necessary for immigrants. The author presents the analysis of two approaches in order to demonstrate the influence of the Chinese mass media upon immigrants. According to the multicultural approach, each nationality and community contributes to the whole society and it is not necessary for the Chinese community to assimilate in order to adapt to new conditions. As for the assimilationist approach, immigrants and the host community are in conflict until they start sharing their culture and life. Min Zhou answers the question of the chapter under consideration this way: Chinese mass media are not a negative phenomenon in the society. On the contrary, they help the immigrants not to feel isolated from the outside world. There is no other way to be informed if one does not know English. I agree with the author and I am sure that good Chinese mass media are the best tool to make the immigrants’ life easier in new conditions.